Pas de Cheval
by copperpots'n'pans
Summary: They gave him a medal for killing someone, but just a few short months later, they gave him a pink slip for falling in love. It wasn't Dean's fault that the ballet man was so understanding of his faults; just as it wasn't Cas' fault that the soldier was so lovable.
1. Little Did He Know

**So here I am again. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this or not. It all depends on whether or not people are actually interested in reading it.**

**Yeah, I don't own Supernatural, but I wish I did.**

* * *

Dean dropped his duffel bag on the ground with a huff. It felt good to be on American soil again. He could taste the sunshine for the first time in ages, and the birds were like nothing he had ever heard, despite the fact that he was only gone for a little over a year.

"You got plans for tonight?" his friend Garth asked. They had been together since the beginning.

"Yeah, man. My brother's girlfriend is performing tonight; she's a ballerina, I told them I'd go. I think we're going out to eat later." Dean paused. "What about you?"

"Probably just dinner with my parents. I think I'm really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed."

Dean nodded his head in understanding. None of them had seen their families, or their beds, in a while. It would be fantastic to not worry about five am wake up calls for an entire night.

A blue car pulled up; through the window, Dean could see Sam cramped into the little, compact vehicle.

"That's me, Garth. I'll call you sometime."

"Sounds good." Garth said, pulling him in for a half-hug. "Take care of yourself."

"You too." Dean returned. He motioned for Sam to pop the trunk, and threw his bag into the back.

He climbed into the air-conditioned car, breathing in the cool air. "Hey Sammy."

"Hey Deanie. I—uh woulda gotten out but its hell getting in this thing." Sam chuckled.

"I can imagine. Where's your truck at?" The last time Dean had gotten leave, he couldn't get Sam to shut up about his precious truck and all that it could do.

"It broke down, so I took it to the shop. This is Jess' car."

They rode in silence for a while, almost as if Sam was afraid to ask him questions. The radio was on, and upon further inspection, Dean realized that American Pie was playing.

"Are you sure you want to go see Jess' ballet thing? 'Cause she won't mind if you don't." Sam assured him.

"Nah, its fine. I don't have anything better to do, and even if I did, I wanna get to know Jess. I have a feeling she's going to be permanent." Dean stated, simply. Sam looked over in surprise; Dean had never taken interest in his girlfriends.

"Thanks, man." Sam tapped on the steering wheel to the beat for a while before speaking again. "So—uh—are you going to have to go back soon?" Sam's voice was hesitant as he asked; as if he was afraid of the answer.

Dean winced at Sam's tone. He had never meant to put his family through this, he was just doing what he had thought was right. Which apparently, wasn't the best choice.

"I don't think so, Sammy, I mean I've served two tours, it's my choice whether or not I go back out."

"Are you planning on going back?"

Dean smiled as he replied, "Nope. You're stuck with me, little brother. At least for a little while. I'll try and find an apartment soon."

"Good, I'm glad you're home. And Dean…?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

Sam sheepishly smiled, "I might have that apartment thing taken care of. The place I live now has an open room. It's just me and another guy, you'll meet him tonight, but if you want, the room's yours."

"Sounds good to me. So tell me about Jess." Dean prodded. He wanted to know some about the girl before he met her officially.

"She's great. She's funny and she's pretty. She smells like flowers and sunshine and she has the prettiest voice. She's also really nice; she volunteers at a school a few times a week. And—uh—she's really talented. She got the lead in _The Swan Princess_, she's majoring in Classical Ballet. She graduates next year. I love her." Sam finished simply.

"I can tell. I'm happy for you." Dean glanced out the window, glad that Sam couldn't see his face. He had always wanted the whole white picket fence, 2.5 kids thing, but now it seemed less like a possibility and more like a fantasy.

The remainder of the ride was spent in silence. It wasn't long before Sam pulled into a parking lot and shut off the car. They got out of the car, and Dean grabbed his bag. Sam ushered him towards a brown, brick building that looked like it had seen better days, all the while, trying to sell Dean on the building.

Apparently the heating and air both worked well, and most of the appliances worked. The neighbors were quiet and minded their business. It was relatively cheap, and the rodent infestation was nonexistent.

Inside, they trekked up three flights of stairs and into a dimly lit hall with peeling paint. Sam unlocked door 17G and led him into the apartment. It was surprisingly homely inside.

"It's not much, but I like it." Sam explained. "If you want, this would be your room." Dean walked into the room that Sam was pointing to. There was a bed against one wall and a chest of drawers against the other. The window in the room overlooked a side street.

"Yeah, if the other guy staying here doesn't mind, I'll stay here."

"Oh, Castiel won't mind. He's hardly ever here; he's a ballet performer, like Jess, so he practices a lot."

Dean took the information in while putting his duffel bag on the bed. He mentally made a note of all the things he would have to buy.

"Is there a Wal-Mart around here?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, do you wanna go?"

"Maybe tomorrow or something. I think I'm going to take a shower."

Sam gestured to the bathroom with a have at it motion and left Dean to his own devices. Dean grabbed some underwear and a tank top and headed into the shower.

He twisted the shower knob to the far left, making the water piping hot. He relished the way the hot water and steam surrounded him, nearly taking his breath away. He slowly shampooed his hair, taking his time for the first time in ages. Dean sighed as the hot water kneaded his sore muscles.

All too soon, however, the water turned frigid, and Dean briskly toweled before dressing.

"Hey Sam?" he called. "What should I wear to this ballet thing?" He could hear some banging around in the kitchen, the noise of pots and pans colliding, before Sam answered.

"Dress pants and a button down's what I'm wearing."

"'Kay, thanks." Dean shuffled into his new room and dug through his bag until he found his one pair of black dress pants. He never really had the need for anything other than his uniform and the occasional pair of jeans.

Upon digging some more, he found a white button down that wasn't wrinkled too badly. He shrugged as he put it on. Oh well, it's not like they were going to a five star restaurant after the recital, at least he hoped not.

He plopped down on the couch while Sam got ready, surfing through the TV channels. He had only gone through a few channels before finding Dr. Sexy MD.

"You still like that?" Sam chuckled and Dean grinned in return. He had always told Sam he liked the drama on the show, but if he was truthful with himself, it was because Dr. Sexy was, well, sexy.

Dean didn't answer verbally, but instead changed the subject. "Are you ready to leave?"

Sam toned that he was; after locking up the apartment, they headed out to the car.

"I'll get you a key made tomorrow." Sam told him, as he tried to fold himself into the tiny car. It was comical, seeing six foot four Sam try to fit into a compact car. "Stop laughing." he gritted out.

The ride was relatively short, with few stops before they made it to the local theatre.

"I know ballet's not really your thing, but it means a lot to Jess that you're here." Sam admitted quietly while they paid for their tickets. Dean suspected that it didn't just mean a lot to Jess but to Sam as well. Giving her a chance was the least Dean supposed he could do.

They sat close to the front in plush blue chairs that made Dean itch. The velvety material reminded him of bugs. The two sat in silence with the whispers of others to keep them company until the production started.

The director or whoever came out and made a big fancy speech about hard work that was met with obligatory claps from the eldest Winchester. He really started paying attention when the curtains parted, and the recital started.

Sam pointed out Jess as the girl in the pale blue outfit, but Dean was more focused on a male dancer whose place on the stage was a little to the left and about halfway back.

The man moved with grace that Dean, beforehand, would've said was impossible. His limbs moved as he leaped and twirled in a way that made Dean's heart pound.

Dean became so entranced by the man; he was startled when the crowd broke out into applause. "Is it over, already?" he asked with the disappointment clear in his voice.

"No; it's a half-time of sorts. Are you enjoying it?"

"Yeah, absolutely. Jess is—uh real talented. You did good Sammy." he told Sam, despite the fact that he had only glanced at Jess once during the performance.

"Thanks, Deanie, Jess is gonna love you; I'm sure of it." Sam looked happier than Dean had seen in a while. Dean excused himself to the restroom, and once there, stared himself down in the mirror. The three years in Iraq had changed him; his blonde hair was buzzed and the hard angles of his cheekbones jutted out. He splashed cold water on his face. _Get it together Winchester_, he told himself. He hadn't been this affected by anyone since he was in high school.

When he heard someone else enter the bathroom, he took his leave and returned to the unoccupied seat next to his brother. He had barely sat down when the lights dimmed and the curtains parted, preventing Sam from asking him questions.

Dean quickly scanned his eyes through those on stage, until he sought out the same male dancer from before. This time the man was wearing skin tight black leggings and what appeared to be a skin colored shirt.

The man turned his head, and Dean jumped in surprise, as the man looked straight at him for a moment, before slightly smiling. Dean's heart raced as he saw the man's bright, clear blue eyes on him.

The longer they held eye contact, the tighter Dean felt his already semi-tight pants get. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"You okay?" Sam asked in concern, probably worried that it was too much stress on him.

"Itchy chairs." he muttered back, ducking his head down, and finally breaking eye contact. When he glanced back up, the man wasn't on stage any longer. Dean supposed it was for the best; the man was probably straight, and even if he wasn't, he certainly didn't deserve to deal with the mess that was Dean Winchester.

For the remainder of the show, Dean spent his time divided between actually paying attention and willing away his not so little problem. By the time the show was over and they were standing to applaud, Dean was confident that he had himself under control.

"We just going to hand here until Jess gets showered and changed." Dean nodded to show that he had heard his brother and moved out of the way for the people exiting their row.

He was looking forward to dinner, and to shaking off the man from earlier. They had only waited for a few minutes when Jess came flouncing out of a side door.

"Dean, it's so nice to finally meet you!" her voice was soft and lilting, but her grasp was surprisingly strong as she hugged him. Dean gently patted her back in an awkward manner.

"It's nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you." he offered.

"All good, I hope." she giggled as she playfully pinched Sam's arm.

They made a truly odd couple; she was five-two tops and Sam was like six-four. But at the same time, they looked great together.

"Yeah, all good. Your performance was great." he told her.

"Oh, aren't you sweet?" she said while simultaneously pulling Sam down to whisper into his ear. Sam shrugged at whatever she was saying, his eyes darting to the stage and then to Dean.

"Dean," Jess began in a sugary sweet voice, "would you mind terribly if we added one more for dinner?"

"I don't guess so." Dean shrugged; he just wanted to eat.

"Great!" she exclaimed, while clapping her hands together. "I would just feel awful if Castiel sat at home by himself. Besides, it'll give you a chance to get to know each other."

Before either brother could respond, Jess had run off and returned, dragging a man who seemed awfully familiar to Dean. The man was wearing dark jeans and a t-shirt; he had almost black hair, and pale white skin.

"Dean, this is Castiel. Castiel, Dean." Jess introduced.

Dean stuck out his hand in offering, and the man suddenly looked up, his bright blue eyes piercing into Dean.

"Nice to meet you." Castiel said, his voice rolling over Dean like honey and rootbeer on a hot summer day, thick and sweet but cool and refreshing all at the same time.

"You too." Dean stammered out, doubting if this situation was "nice" at all.

As they headed out to the car, Dean seriously doubted his ability to survive the night for the first time in years.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Constructive criticism is welcome! And suggestions on where I should go with this are welcome.**

**Have a great day/night/teatime!**


	2. Night Out

**I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get this out! School's out now (yay!), so I should be posting more often!**

* * *

It's actually kind of funny. Dean Winchester spent many nights in the middle of a desert, by himself, his only company being his assault weapon. The entire time he was fine. Not a nerve in sight.

Now, in the back of his brother's girlfriend's small car, Dean felt himself getting antsy for the first time in years.

He glanced over at Castiel as Jess pulled out of the parking lot. Much to his surprise, Castiel was looking at him as well. Dean gave a small nod before turning to look out of his window, feeling his face heat up from the inevitable blush.

Sam and Jess chattered up front for a few minutes before she addressed Dean directly.

"We don't actually have set plans for dinner. Do you have any preference, Dean?"

"Not really. I survived ready-to-eat meals for years, so, I'm good with pretty much whatever." Dean told her, though if he was honest, he kinda actually enjoyed those ready-to-eat meals. Especially the enchilada variety.

Dean smiled as he thought of those star-filled nights when there was no emergency, no rush. The guys would crowd around a fire, tell scary stories, and eat until they were sick. It could be said that even though they were in the middle of a war zone, there were good moments.

Feeling reminiscent, Dean spoke up again, "How do you guys feel about Mexican food?"

"Oh my gosh, I totally didn't think about that!" Jess exclaimed. "We haven't gone out to Mexican in ever! Do you want to, Sam?"

Sam gave his agreement and Jess made a left onto a different street.

"There's this new restaurant downtown that I have just been dying to go to." she continued explaining. "I almost forgot, is this okay with you Cas?"

Castiel looked up in almost surprise, Dean noted, at being addressed.

"Yeah, that's fine." He turned back around to look out the window.

The drive went by surprisingly fast and Jess was pulling into a parking lot of a brightly lit building before they knew it.

"They supposedly have the best salsa this side of the Mississippi. At least that's what my mom says."

Dean was hardly paying attention to Jess as she chattered on about the restaurant they were at. He was too busy watching the way Castiel's hips swished as he walked. Left. Right. Left.

Dean groaned under his breath as Castiel bent down to tie his shoe, putting his ample _assets_ on display. It just wasn't fair for anyone to be that attractive. Castiel didn't seem to notice Dean's attention and they continued inside.

"Table for four, please." Jess motioned to the guys behind her while speaking to the very non-Hispanic staff member.

Their waiter led them over to an empty area of the restaurant and gestured for them to sit at a wooden table. Sam sat down next to Jess, leaving Dean and Castiel to sit at the other side of the table.

Dean sat down, carefully while carefully avoiding actually touching Castiel. The last thing he needed was to reignite his not so little problem from earlier.

"What would you guys like to drink?" the waiter asked as he handed them all menus.

Dean ordered a coke while the rest ordered water. Dean shook his head at the ridiculousness of it. They were in a restaurant and they were willingly going to pay for one of the most common chemical compounds on Earth.

They made idle small talk about the weather until the waiter came back with their drinks, as well as, a basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa.

Dean perused his menu while the others ordered. Classic enchiladas sounded good, but so did the quesadillas. He internally debated with himself for a moment before deciding what the hell. He was only going to be alive once, so he ordered both.

Sam slightly shook his head at Dean's order. He had, of course, ordered some form of taco salad.

The waiter was off once again, leaving Jess to rave about the salsa and her mom's ability to accurately predict flavors.

"So, Dean, have you decided where you're going to be staying at?" Jess asked, interrupting her own sentence.

"Uhh—I think I'm going to be staying with Sam. At least if it's okay with Castiel, I will." Dean told her, glancing over at Castiel.

Castiel merely shrugged. "I'm not actually home a lot. It's fine with me if you stay. Plus you can be like a live-in handy man."

Dean's face heated once more as he thought of scenarios in which he could be a handy-man while Castiel could be the poor desperate guy who needed help with the kitchen sink. Or something like that.

"Are you okay Dean?" Castiel asked, as Dean flustered for his coke.

"Yeah, the salsa's just spicier than I expected. I'm good." Dean replied, willing his reed face to return to normal. "So, Jess, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Are you already hitting on my girl?" Sam joked, putting his arm around Jess, who was giggling.

"Nah, I just need help buying stuff. You know for my room and what not."

"Of course!" Jess answered his unasked question. "I would absolutely love to help you buy stuff. I love shopping! And it's even better when it's not my money! So, where were you thinking? The Pottery Barn? The Container Store? Or maybe even Pier One?" Jess gushed.

"I was thinking maybe Target or Walmart." Dean was taken aback by her excitement.

"That is a-okay too! It's going to be so much fun!" Jess chattered about plans for their shopping excursion until their food was brought to their table.

Everyone dug in, and the conversation briefly paused.

Dean glanced to his side a few times because of the lack of movement. What he saw kind of surprised him.

Now, he didn't really know Castiel. He had barely said ten words to the guy, but he knew something wasn't quite right.

Castiel was sitting with a bowl of lettuce and a few toppings on the side. Occasionally, he would pick up his fork, only to sit it down again.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked him quietly, trying not to attract attention to Castiel, just in case he wasn't feeling well or something of the sort.

"Yes, of course." Castiel returned. "I'm just not feeling particularly well." He took a sip of water. "Thanks for asking."

Dean nodded and continued eating, while Castiel took his first few bites of the night.

"Are you home for good?" Jess asked, after dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

"I think so. I mean someone needs to look after this guy." Dean joked, kicking Sam.

"Haha." Sam said sarcastically.

"Plus I want to get to know you guys."

"Aww, that is just so sweet." Jess said, leaning into Sam. "I've always wanted siblings, so that we could be all cutesy and stuff."

Sam and Dean both laughed at that. They had argued more than anyone would ever know as children. In fact, they had fought like cats and dogs.

After a few more minutes had passed, Dean sat back, stuffed. His pants were tight once again, and not in the pleasurable way. It was in the 'I just ate way too much'.

Looking around, he noticed Castiel hadn't even come close to finishing his food. He was just pushing his lettuce around and tearing it into smaller pieces.

Eventually, the waiter came with the check. Dean and Sam both reached for their wallets at the same time.

"I'll get it." Sam said while fishing out money.

"No don't do that. I can pay." Dean told him, also retrieving money. "Or we can at least do half and half."

They continued arguing while the waiter stood by awkwardly. "Do you guys need some time? 'Cause if so, I can come back in a few minutes."

"No we don't need time, because I'm paying. Dean, I haven't been able to do anything for you for a long time. You just got home today. You can let me pay this one time. Next time we go out somewhere you can pay." Sam ranted.

Dean nodded his acquiescence, putting his wallet away. He had learned early on to pick his battles wisely.

Sam gave the waiter some money while Jess asked for a doggy bag.

When the waiter returned with the bag and the receipt, Jess bagged up Castiel's food and handed it to him with a stern look.

Dean briefly wondered what that was about, but decided it wasn't his business.

They all piled into the car and started towards the apartment.

"I should be there about ten in the morning. We can get an early start on the shopping." Jess announced as they pulled up outside the apartment.

"Sounds good." Dean told her as he climbed out. "It was nice to meet you Jess."

"You too!" he heard her say as he shut the door to give them privacy. Castiel was also getting out of the car, with his doggy bag and a large duffel bag.

They walked in silence until they reached the stairs. Dean noticed Castiel struggling with his bag and offered to help him.

Reluctantly, Castiel handed over his duffel and the continued up to the apartment.

"Are you sure you don't mind me staying here?" Dean asked as Castiel unlocked the door."

"I don't mind. Like I said, I'm not really here much. As long as you aren't holding all-night parties every single night, then it shouldn't be a problem."

Dean laughed. "My partying days are long over. I don't think I've even played loud music in, like, three years."

"That's good. Loud music is harmful to one's ears." Castiel earnestly looked at Dean, as if Dean's ears were in imminent danger.

Once they were in the apartment, Dean handed Castiel's bag back to him and headed into the kitchen for a glass of water.

Before long, Castiel was in the kitchen as well, putting his food into the refrigerator. "I'm sorry that I wasn't much fun tonight." Castiel apologized expectantly.

"Hey man, its fine. You just weren't feeling well. It's nothing to apologize for. If you don't feel good, then you don't feel good. No big deal." Dean assured him.

"Thanks."

They stood in silence for a few minutes; Dean, at the sink, and Castiel, in front of the refrigerator.

"Your performance was good." Dean blurted.

"Thanks." Castiel bashfully ducked his head. "I only had a background role. I'm not really good enough for any of the main roles."

"That's crazy!" Dean exclaimed. "You were great!"

Castiel looked at him in surprise and it was Dean's turn to duck his head as his face warmed once again.

"Thanks. That means a lot." Castiel told him as he walked out of the kitchen, leaving Dean alone.

A few more minutes passed and the door opened, signaling Sam was home.

"Thanks for tonight, bro." Dean told him, patting him on the back. "I haven't had this much fun in a while."

"It's no problem, Dean. Jess really likes you. And Cas willingly talked to you so he must like you."

Dean shook his head at Sam's assumptions. "They're both great." he said, enjoying the way Sam's face lit up. "I'm going to head to bed. See you in the morning."

"Night." Sam said as Dean went into his room.

Dean shrugged out of his formal clothes and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. He preferred not wearing a shirt to bed, he often found himself too hot during the night. However, he didn't like sleeping naked due to the potential hazards.

Dean laid down on the soft mattress, groaning at the feeling. He hadn't slept on a genuine mattress in years. The softness conformed to his back and shoulders. It felt like sleeping on an ultra-soft cloud.

The absence of constant noise caused Dean to be unable to immediately fall asleep, despite the fact that he was exhausted.

Eventually, his mind gave in and he succumbed to the blissfulness of sleep.

* * *

**So, how was it? Don't be afraid to let me know! :)**


End file.
